Cleaning and sanitizing system

ABSTRACT

A high pressure water stream( 14 ) is discharged onto a surface to be cleaned. An ozone/water stream( 16 ) is discharged on the same surface for sanitizing the surface. The high pressure water and ozone/water streams( 14,16 ) are discharged simultaneously along closely adjacent paths that are either parallel (FIG.  3 ) or concentric (FIG.  2 ). The water pressure is at least about 100 p.s.i. and is preferably between 100 p.s.i. and 2000 p.s.i. The nozzles that discharge the streams ( 14,16 ) maybe movable relative to the object(s) that receives the high pressure water and ozone/water (FIG.  1 ). Or, they may be fixed and the object may be movable relative to them (FIG.  4 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to cleaning by use of a high pressure water stream and sanitizing by use of an ozone/water stream. More particularly, it relates to a cleaning and sanitizing method and apparatus in which the high pressure water stream and the ozone/water stream are discharged together, closely adjacent each other but without mixing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following United States Patents disclose apparatus and methods of using ozone together with a cleaning fluid: U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,512 granted Aug. 17, 1993, to Ernest E. Rogers, Blaine A. Frandsen and Lamont Hislop; U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,754, granted Feb. 27,1996 to Russell Gurstein and Edgar York; U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,869, granted Oct. 6, 1998 to John M. Hopkins; U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,155, granted Nov. 24, 1998 to Edward D. Berglund, Sung K. Cho and Lowell H. Schiebe; U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,862 granted Sep. 12, 2000 to Theodore R. Cooper, Allyson T. Toney and John B. McParlane; U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,227, granted Feb. 19, 2002, to Luis D. Caracciolo; U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,017, granted Sep. 24, 2002, to John R. Kasting, Dwayne H. Joines and John V. Winings; U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,398, granted Oct. 1, 2002 to Durand M. Smith, Dale S. Winger and Joshua N. Brown, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,364, granted Oct. 28, 2003 to Gene Harkins and John M. Hopkins.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,017 discloses various uses of ozone as a sterilant. In this patent, it is stated that ozone cannot be combined with detergent or other cleaning agents since these are vulnerable to ozone attack. It is also stated that the ozone will destroy both its own effectiveness and that of the cleaning agent rather than attacking pathogens. U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,017 discloses directing a detergent cleaning solution, preferably under pressure, onto a surface to be cleaned. Then following the removal of the soils by the detergent an aqueous ozone rinse is applied to the surface. It is stated that the ozone rinse functions to sanitize the object being cleaned and remove residual detergent. The method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,017 involves first directing the cleaning solution onto the surface under pressure, and then rinsing the surface by directing a flow of the ozonated water onto the surface.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,995, granted Feb. 2, 1999 to William R. Nelson, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,688, granted Mar. 26, 2002, also to William R. Nelson, disclose systems for producing “ozonated water”, also termed “ozone/water”. As well be described, the selected one of the systems is combined in a novel way in the system of the present invention.

An object of the present invention is to deliver a high pressure cleaning water stream and an ozone/water stream substantially simultaneously to a surface to be cleaned and sanitized. The invention is basically characterized by delivering the high pressure water stream and the ozone/water stream closely adjacent to each other but without mixing. The high pressure water stream removes particles from the surface and the ozone/water stream sanitizes the surface almost simultaneously

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cleaning and sanitizing system of the present invention is basically characterized by a first discharge nozzle from which a stream of high pressure water is discharged and a second discharge nozzle from which a stream of ozone/water is discharged. The first and second nozzles are positioned adjacent to each other so that the water and ozone/water streams are contiguous but the ozone/water is not delivered into the high pressure water stream. The high pressure water stream is discharged at a pressure high enough that it will exert a cleaning force on a surface to be cleaned and would convert the ozone into oxygen if the ozone/water stream were to be delivered into the high pressure water stream. In preferred form, the pressure of the high water pressure stream is at least about 100 p.s.i. More preferably, the pressure of the high pressure water stream is between 100 p.s.i. and about 2000 p.s.i. The pressure of the ozone/water stream is smaller than the pressure of the high pressure water stream and is sufficiently small that the ozone is not converted into oxygen.

According to one aspect of the invention, the ozone/water stream concentrically surrounds the high pressure water stream.

According to another aspect of the invention, the high pressure water and the ozone/water are discharged as closely spaced substantially parallel streams.

The nozzles for discharging the high pressure water and the ozone/water can be movable to the object that is to be cleaned. Or, the discharge nozzles can be fixed and the article to be cleaned can be moved relative to the nozzles.

In an embodiment of the cleaning and sanitizing system of the present invention, a circulating flow path of ozone/water is provided. Along this path, one or more high pressure water discharge nozzles are provided. An ozone/water nozzle is associated with each high pressure water nozzle. The high pressure water stream may be used to “pump” or “aspirate” ozone/water from the circulating system. As ozone/water is removed from the system, new water is delivered to the ozone/water generator and additional ozone is added to the water in the generator.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent. From the description of the best mode set forth below, from the drawings, from the claims and from the principles that are embodied in the specific structure that are illustrated and described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawing, and:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a workman in the process of cleaning and sanitizing an object, by use of a high pressure water stream and an ozone/water stream;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the wand shown in FIG. 1, showing a portion of the wand in longitudinal section, such view showing a first nozzle discharging high pressure water stream surrounded by a second nozzle discharging an ozone/water stream;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic view of a second embodiment of the wand, showing the high pressure water nozzle and stream and the ozone/water nozzle and stream in a side-by-side relationship;

FIG. 4 is a view of an apparatus in a carcass washing system for conveying chickens, other fowl pork, beef, etc. along a path that is between stationary nozzles for delivering a high pressure water stream, for cleaning the fowl, and an ozone/water stream, for sanitizing the fowl; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a system embodying the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a workman 10 holding a wand 12 that is adapted to discharge a high pressure water stream, for cleaning, and an ozone/water stream for sanitizing. The two streams 14, 16 are being discharged against an object 18 that needs to be cleaned and sanitized. FIG. 2 shows the high pressure water stream 14 surrounded by the ozone/water stream 16. FIG. 3 shows the high pressure water stream 14 and the ozone/water stream 16 being discharged in a side by side relationship.

Referring to FIG. 2, the wand 12 has a grip portion 20 that the workman 10 grips with one hand 22. The workman's other hand 24 grips an elongated central portion of the wand 12. In this embodiment, the wand 12 includes a conduit 26 that extends through the wand 12 from an inlet 28 to an outlet 30. The inlet 28 is connected to a source of high pressure water 32. The outlet 30 is in the form of a discharge nozzle that discharges a stream of the high pressure water 14. Wand 12 includes a tubular outer wall 34 that surrounds the high pressure water conduit 26. An annular passageway 36 is defined by and radially between the two tubular walls 26, 34. A cone 38 is provided at the outlet of the annular passageway 36. A conduit 40 delivers ozone from a source 42 into the passageway 36. The ozone/water flows through passageway 36, and through diagonal ports in cone 38 and discharges as an annular stream 16 surrounding stream 14. Streams 16, 14 do not directly impinge. They extend substantially parallel to each other along a relative small diameter combined stream path.

The conduits 28, 40 includes suitable on-off valves that are not shown. This is because they are not a part of the present invention but can be like the many valves that are available for controlling fluids that flow through conduits.

FIG. 3 shows a wand 12 that includes a high pressure water conduit 26′ positioned closely adjacent an ozone/water conduit 36′. As previously described, the high pressure water stream 14 and the ozone/water stream 16 are discharged in close proximity to each other but neither infringes directly on the other. There is no attempt to mix the ozone/water stream 16 with the high pressure water stream 14. As is well known by a person of ordinary skill in the art, the high pressure water conduit 26′ will include an off/on valve and the ozone/water stream 36′ will also include an off/on valve. The valves may also control the pressure and discharge flow rate of the two streams 14, 16, in a known matter.

FIG. 1 shows an overhead hose reel 44 on a pulley 46. Pulley 46 is adapted to travel along a rod or a line 48. The reel 44 is preferably a dual reel. It supports a high pressure water hose 50 and an ozone/water hose 52. As the worker 10 walks forwardly from the position shown in FIG. 1, the pulley 46 will move forwardly on the rod or line 48. In a manner that is known to those skilled in the art, a first coiled hose 54 and a second coil holds 56 extend downwardly from the reel 44. The coils 54, 56 are in the nature of coil springs. They will extend when the operator 10 and the wand 12 move forwardly. They will retract when the operator 10 and the wand 14 move rearwardly.

FIG. 4 is substantially like FIG. 6 in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,227 B1. A conveyor 60 is shown conveying a fowl 62 (e.g. chicken or turkey) or some other animal or object along a path, through a processing area between high pressure water and ozone/water streams discharging from nozzles 62. In addition to the nozzles 62, the system 59 may include brushes 64, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,227 B1. The nozzles 62 are constructed to discharge a stream of high pressure wash water 14 closely adjacent a stream of ozone/water, but without direct mixing of the two streams.

As has been described, the high pressure water stream 14 and the ozone/water stream 16 may be brought to the object or article to be cleaned and sanitized. Or, the high pressure water stream 14 and the ozone/water stream 16 may be discharged from stationary nozzles (e.g. nozzles 62) towards a moving object or objects (e.g. fowl that are moved relative to the stationary nozzles 62).

FIG. 5 shows a cleaning and sanitizing system that utilizes the present invention. High pressure water is pumped from source 32 into conduit 50 and from conduit 50 to the nozzle 30, 30′ that forms the high pressure water stream 14. Ozonated water (ozone/water) 10 is delivered from apparatus 80 into conduit 52 which leads to the nozzles from the ozone streams 16. The apparatus 80 for admixing ozone to water maybe one of the apparatuses disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,995 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,688. The contents of these patents are hereby incorporated herein by this specific reference.

The ozonated water conduit 52 forms a closed loop with the apparatus 80. A pump 82 pumps the ozone/water in conduit 52 to the recirculated liquid inlet of a contact tank 84. See inlet 112 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,688 leading into contact tank 36 disclosed in that patent. The high pressure water stream 14 will pump or aspirate the ozone/water and removed it from the closed loop conduit 52. Because some of the ozonated water is discharged from the water nozzles 30,30′, new water is added at 86 into admixture with the recirculated ozone/water that is moved by pump 82 into the inlet of the contact chamber 84.

Preferably, the cleaning water that is discharged from the nozzles 30,30′ is water only. That is, it does not include a detergent or some other chemical. The surface to be cleaned is cleaned by the force of the high pressure water stream rather than by a detergent or other additive to the water stream. The ozone/water stream is delivered directly on the surface that is being cleaned by the water stream and there is no chemical present with which the ozone may react.

The illustrated embodiments are only examples of the present invention, and therefore, are non-limitive. It is to be understood that many changes in the particular structure, materials, and features of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is my intention that my patent rights not be limited by the particular embodiments that are illustrated and described herein, but rather are to be determined by the following claims, interpreted according to accepted doctrine of claim interpretation, including the use of the doctrine of equivalence. 

1. A cleaning and sanitizing system, comprising: a first discharge nozzle; a first conduit for delivering water to the first discharge nozzle to be discharged by the first discharge nozzle as a first stream; a second discharge nozzle; a second conduit for delivering ozone/water to the second discharge nozzle, to be discharged from the second discharge nozzle as a stream of ozone/water; a source of water connected to the first conduit for delivering ozone/water into and through the first conduit and out from the first discharge nozzle as a stream of high pressure water; a source of ozone/water connected to the second conduit for delivering ozone/water into and through the second conduit and out from the second discharge nozzle as a stream of ozone/water; said first and second nozzles being positioned relative to each other so that the water and ozone/water streams are contiguous but the ozone is not delivered into the high pressure water stream; and wherein the high pressure water stream is discharged at a high enough pressure that it will exert a cleaning force on a surface to be cleaned and would convert the ozone/water into oxygen if the ozone/water stream were to be delivered into the high pressure water stream; and wherein the high pressure water stream will clean a surface to be cleaned and the ozone/water stream will sanitize the same surface.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the high pressure water stream is at least about 100 psi.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the high pressure water stream is between about 100 psi and about 2000 psi.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the pressure of the ozone/water stream is lower than the pressure of the high pressure water stream and is sufficiently low that the ozone does not covert to oxygen.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second discharge nozzle concentrically surrounds the first discharge nozzle and discharges an ozone/water stream that concentrically surrounds a high pressure water stream that is discharged from the first nozzle.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second discharge nozzle is positioned to discharge the stream of ozone/water along a path that is laterally adjacent the path of the high pressure water stream that is discharged from the first discharge nozzle.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second discharge nozzles are a part of a single wand that has a first end that includes inlets for sections of the first and second conduits that are in the wand and a second end that includes the first and second discharge nozzles.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second discharge nozzles are fixed in position, and the surface to be cleaned is moved relative to the first and second discharge nozzles.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first conduit includes a first hose section and said second conduit includes a second hose section.
 10. The system of claim 9, comprising a hose reel on which the two hose sections are wound, said hose reel allowing the hoses to be pulled off from the reel and functioning to rewind the hoses back on the reel when a pull force is removed from the hoses.
 11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a single wand that has a first end that includes inlets for sections of the first and second conduits that are in the wand, and a second end that includes the first and second discharge nozzles, wherein the hose sections are connected to the inlets for the sections of the first and second conduits that are in the wand.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second discharge nozzle concentrically surrounds the first discharge nozzle and discharges an ozone/water stream that concentrically surrounds a high pressure water stream that is discharged from the first nozzle.
 13. The system of claim 1, comprising a closed loop flow path for ozone/water, wherein the second conduit extends from the closed loop path to the second discharge nozzle, and a source of make up ozone/water for adding ozone/water to the system to replace the ozone/water that leaves the path through the second conduit and the second discharge nozzle.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the high pressure water stream discharging from the first-nozzle is used to aspirate ozone/water from the second discharge nozzle.
 15. A method of cleaning and sanitizing an object, comprising: forming wash water into a high pressure first stream and directing it onto the object to be cleaned; forming ozonated water into a second stream and discharging it closely adjacent the first stream of high pressure wash water but without admixing the ozone to the high pressure wash water stream; regulating the pressure of the high pressure wash water stream so that it will exert a cleaning force on the object to be cleaned and would convert the ozone into oxygen if the ozonated water stream were to be delivered into the high pressure wash water stream; and directing the high pressure wash water stream onto the object to be cleaned; and directing the ozonated water stream onto the object after it has been cleaned by the high pressure wash water stream, and using the ozonated water stream to sanitize the same object.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pressure of the high pressure water stream is at least about 100 psi.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pressure of the high pressure wash water stream is between about 100 psi and about 2000 psi.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the pressure of the ozonated water stream is smaller than the pressure of the high pressure water stream.
 19. The method of claim 15, comprising discharging the ozonated water stream as an annular stream that concentrically surrounds the high pressure wash water stream.
 20. The method of claim 15, comprising discharging the stream of ozonated water along a path that is laterally adjacent the path of the high pressure wash water stream.
 21. The method of claim 15, comprising providing a closed flow path for the ozonated water, and removing some of the ozonated water from the flow path to form the second stream that is discharged closely adjacent the first stream of high pressure wash water.
 22. The method of claim 21, comprising admixing additional ozonated water to the closed loop flow path to make up for the ozonated water that is removed and discharged as the ozonated water stream.
 23. The method of claim 21, comprising locating an ozonated water generator in the closed loop flow path, and providing the closed loop flow path with a pump for moving ozonated water from the ozonated water generator through the closed loop flow path and back to the ozonated water generator.
 24. A cleaning system, comprising: a wand having a first conduit with an inlet and an outlet, and a first discharge nozzle connected to the outlet of the first conduit; a source of high pressure water connected to the wand; and a source of ozone/water connected to the wand.
 25. The cleaning system of claim 24, wherein the source of high pressure water is connected to the first conduit for delivering the high pressure water through the first conduit and the first discharge nozzle.
 26. The cleaning system of claim 24, wherein the source of ozone/water is connected to the first conduit for delivering the ozone/water through the first conduit and the first discharge nozzle.
 27. The cleaning system of claim 24, further comprising a valve attached to the wand for controlling the flow of the high pressure water.
 28. The cleaning system of claim 24, further comprising a second conduit having an inlet and an outlet, and further wherein the source of high pressure water is connected to the inlet of the first conduit and the source of ozone/water is connected to the inlet of the second conduit.
 29. The cleaning system of claim 28, further comprising a second discharge nozzle connected to the outlet of the second conduit.
 30. The cleaning system of claim 29, wherein the first discharge nozzle is positioned to discharge ozone/water along a path that is substantially parallel to a path of the high pressure that is discharged from the first discharge nozzle.
 31. The cleaning system of claim 29, wherein the first discharge nozzle is positioned to discharge ozone/water along a path that is adjacent to a path of the high pressure that is discharged from the first discharge nozzle.
 32. The cleaning system of claim 29, wherein the second discharge nozzle substantially concentrically surrounds the first discharge nozzle and discharges an ozone/water stream that substantially concentrically surrounds a high pressure stream that is discharged from the first discharge nozzle.
 33. The cleaning system of claim 24, wherein the pressure of the high pressure water is greater than about 100 psi.
 34. A cleaning system, comprising: a wand having a grip; a source of ozone/water connected to the wand; a source of high pressure water connected to the wand; a means for delivering the high pressure water from the wand to an object to be cleaned; and a means for delivering the ozone/water from the wand to the object.
 35. A cleaning device, comprising: a first fluid inlet; a second fluid inlet; a source of high pressure water connected to first fluid inlet; a source of ozone/water connected to the second fluid inlet; and a first nozzle in fluid communication with at least one of the source of high pressure water or the source of ozone/water, whereby a stream of fluid is directed through the first nozzle.
 36. The device of claim 35, further comprising a second nozzle, and wherein the first nozzle is in fluid communication with the source of high pressure water and the second nozzle is in fluid communication with the source of ozone/water.
 37. The device of claim 36, wherein a stream of high pressure water emerges from the first nozzle and a stream of ozone/water emerges from the second nozzle, and further wherein the first nozzle and second nozzle are positioned such that the high pressure water stream and ozone/water stream are adjacent one another.
 38. A method of cleaning an object, comprising: directing a stream of high pressure water from a hand-held spraying device toward the object; and directing a stream of ozone/water from the hand-held spraying device toward the object.
 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the steps of directing a stream of high pressure water and directing a stream of ozone/water are accomplished simultaneously.
 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the stream of high pressure water and the stream of ozone/water are substantially parallel to on another.
 41. The method of claim 38, wherein the stream of high pressure water is adjacent to the stream of ozone/water without admixing the ozone to the high pressure wash stream. 